


A Heartbeat At My Feet

by Moiraine



Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Collars, Dehumanization, Feeding, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Leashes, Multi, Obedience, Slavery, Stockholm Syndrome, Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-22
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-03 05:20:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiraine/pseuds/Moiraine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Aesir often take beings from the Nine Realms to keep as pets; pampered and privileged, they are visible signs of wealth and power. They are often given as gifts and rewards, to gain favor and secure treaties. The dark elves, seeking to curry favor after a war, pluck a pet from Midgard to give to Prince Thor.</p><p>Or, Clint Barton finds himself kidnapped by aliens to be the first human pet Asgard has seen in centuries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/11065.html?thread=24465977#t24465977). This is an AU that starts roughly twenty years before the events of Thor and The Avengers.
> 
> While reading this work, it's important to keep in mind that Thor and the others are gods. They do consider themselves superior to the other races in the Nine Realms and they act accordingly. I'm going to do my best not to paint them as monsters, but they treat other sentient beings the way we treat our pets. They care for their pets, pamper them, train them, but in the end, they are _pets_ —creatures to be owned and done with as their owners see fit.
> 
> Please keeps the tags in mind as you read, and watch for some new ones to be added as we get further into the story. Constructive comments are more than welcome.
> 
> Title from the quote:  
> "My little dog -- a heartbeat at my feet." ~ Edith Wharton
> 
> Beta'd by the ever lovely [AccursedSpatula](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AccursedSpatula/pseuds/AccursedSpatula).

Odin tapped the butt of Gungnir on the floor once to signal the end of the treaty talks, the sound resonating throughout the hall. Both sides, both Aesir and dark elves, rose as the All-Father got to his feet. Odin inclined his head to Malekith, who returned the gesture a bit more deeply.

“A most satisfactory conclusion,” Malekith said expansively and Thor hid a smile. The leader of the dark elves could only afford to be so generous because all in the room knew that Odin had been most lenient in the concessions he asked for. His hand would be only lightly felt—if at all—as long as the dark elves kept to their word. If they didn’t.... Well, then the warriors of Asgard would know glorious battle yet again.

“Ah, before we leave,” Malekith said, “a parting gift, to show our esteem and appreciation.” He turned slightly, beckoning toward the door with a slight flick of his fingers. Two of his guards entered, a third figure held between them. The man—no, boy, Thor saw as the guards came closer, a youth, past childhood but not yet an adult—struggled in their grip, attempting to pull away with little success. The youth was not an Aesir; while he had the coloring and shape of one, he was smaller in stature, and though he clearly had not yet attained full growth, it seemed unlikely he would reach the size of even an average Aesir male. Thor noted the collar, the gag, the wrists bound behind his back, the simple tunic he wore, and raised an eyebrow.

Malekith turned back to them and held a hand out to Thor. “For Prince Thor, to honor your prowess on the battlefield, a rare treat—a pet for you.”

“Not so rare a treat,” Thor rumbled in amusement, eyeing the youth’s continued resistance. Pets weren't exactly commonplace, but most wealthy had one or two, and the royal family had several. Thor did not yet have one himself. He was intrigued, though, as to where this particular pet had come from. “He’s not Aesir, that is obvious. Nor does he appear to be Vanir.”

“That is because he is not,” Malekith said easily. “He is of Midgard.”

That earned a startled look from everyone in the room. Travel to Midgard was almost unheard of since the war with Jotunheim had ended, and as far as Thor knew, pets and trophies had not been brought back since, the effort of going to the small, backward realm deemed too great in the wake of Odin's decree to leave the world alone. This pet would be the first human in nearly a millenia. That the dark elves had gone to the trouble of going to Midgard to acquire this one to give away spoke volumes as to the generosity of their intent. Thor smiled; he wasn’t about to insult them by spurning their gift.

“He doesn’t appear very tractable,” he said mildly, considering the youth once again.

Malekith shrugged. “One already tamed would not be much of a challenge for the great Thor. This one is still young, and can still be molded to suit your needs. He has much potential.”

Thor nodded slowly, taking a second look at the rangy potential in the boy’s frame. He was a bit scrawny and underfed, but he wasn’t soft, and if the look in his eyes was anything to go by, there was fire in him. Briefly, he thought of Fenrir, Loki’s pet, with the sleek hunting instincts of the fiercest wolf, who guarded his brother day and night. This boy would certainly not be that dangerous, but he was far more pleasing to look at. With regular food, exercise to keep him in shape, and a more appropriate collar as befitting his station, Thor would be proud to have him kneeling at his side or curled at the foot of his bed.

Besides, his parents had been needling him to take more responsibility and this would do nicely, to show them that he could be trusted with a creature who was completely in his care.

He smiled broadly and took the leash, wrapping the chain around his hand. “Thank you,” he said happily, ignoring the boy’s muffled protests. “We accept your gift and look forward to continued good relations between our people.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Odin nod, and was pleased that he’d succeeded in crafting a diplomatic answer.

Slowly, the delegation said their goodbyes and departed for the Bifrost. Once the dark elves had all left for Svartalfheim, he decided it would be a good idea to get his new pet settled in and headed toward his quarters.

The boy wasn’t exactly docile, but he had ceased struggling and followed Thor without issue when it became clear that he would be brought, willing or not, though he did glare fiercely. Once in his rooms, Thor considered his pet carefully and then undid just the gag. As expected, the first thing that fell from the boy’s mouth was a torrent of curses. “What the fuck?!” he snarled. “What the hell is wrong with you people?! Let me go!”

Thor let him rant for a while. There was always an adjustment period, though it varied from individual to individual. Inevitably, the youth would come to see how much better his lot was here, pampered and protected and cared for in a way few got to experience. He wouldn’t have to work, to exert himself with hard and demeaning labor, and he would reap a reward many would kill for.

Eventually, the boy exhausted himself and fell silent. Thor beamed and patted his head, ignoring the sullen look that earned him. “You should know that the palace is well guarded and that any attempt to harm myself or others would be met with force. I trust that you will not attempt anything foolish.” Thor tilted his head as he thought. “You must be hungry. Come, we’ll feed you.” He turned away, meaning to head back to the door and then swung back around again. “Oh, do you have a name? I need to call you something.”

The boy continued to glare for a long minute before he grudgingly said, “Clint Barton.”

Thor frowned. The name was clumsy and inelegant, not fit at all to belong to a prince’s pet. “That won’t do,” he muttered. “We’ll find something more fitting later.”

“Wait!” Clint dug his heels in, trying to vain to resist the pull of the leash. His strength was no match for Thor’s and he was pulled off his feet. Unable to use his arms to catch himself, he stumbled forward, and would have fallen if Thor had not caught him and set him back on his feet. “You can’t just change my name!”

Thor’s brow furrowed. “You are the pet of the crown prince of Asgard. You must have a name that reflects the honor of your station.”

Clint looked stunned, casting about helplessly in search of a reply. “What about...there’s another name I go by. Could that work?”

“What is it?”

“Hawkeye.”

“Hm.” Thor tilted his head, considering the name. Clint did not appear particularly birdlike, but there was a certain fierceness in his gaze, and in the way he fought against his bonds. Thor thought of the raptors he and his friends had used when hunting. Noble animals, graceful and powerful in their element, yet always returning to their masters’ hands. Perhaps this young human could be tamed the same way. The thought of him, sleek and proud, with the air of leashed danger, was quite appealing.

“Why did they call you that?” he asked curiously.

“In the circus, I always hit the target. I never miss.”

“The target? You are an archer?”

“Yeah.”

Thor grinned. It seemed his pet had more hidden talents than he had suspected. He thought for a moment. “Ivarr, then” he said amiably. “It means ‘bow warrior.’ Most fitting, don’t you think?” Ivarr went to protest, but Thor gave the leash an impatient tug. “No more. It has been decided. Now come, I would see you fed before any more times passes.” He had to tug the leash once more, but Ivarr fell into step behind him, silent as they made their way to the dining hall.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter hasn't been beta'd yet, so any and all mistakes are mine.

Clint followed the big blond guy who now held his... _leash_ , and tried not to freak out. He wasn’t sure what the hell was going on, but life had taught him when to shut up and roll with it. Two nights ago, he’d been hanging around at the edge of the circus, enjoying some well-deserved peace and quiet, and the next thing he knew, he was being jumped by freaks that basically looked like black elves. It had been insultingly easy for them to overpower him. They’d spoken some language he didn’t know, tied him up, and then done...something. And now he was here—wherever here was—and had apparently been sold or given away or traded.

He was also trying to not think about the fact that at least some of these people weren’t human. The elf people weren’t, obviously, and while the others looked mostly normal, some just...didn’t. Almost all of them were wearing armor and carrying around swords and axes. And the few women he’d seen all had on long fancy dresses.

And some of them used magic.

Clint was way too old to believe in magic, but when a guy in robes waved his hands around and spoke gibberish and then stuff _happened_? Yeah, magic.

At least the guy who seemed to be his owner now—he wrinkled his nose at the term; he was pretty sure slavery was illegal—didn’t seem so bad. He’d removed Clint’s gag—which was good—and said that he was going to get Clint some food—which was even better—but the fact that he’d left his hands tied, was happily leading him around by a leash, and had given him a new name—not that Clint was going to answer to it—just reinforced that Clint needed to get the hell out of here as soon as possible.

As they walked, he looked around, trying to start figuring out the layout of the building. It looked like a castle, and from what Clint remembered from stories, there were always lots of hallways and secret passages. Thor didn’t look like he spent a lot of time cleaning up after himself, so if Clint could get into whatever passages the servants used, he might have a shot.

They passed another row of the funny windows this place seemed to have; no glass, just giant arches cut out into the wall, and Clint glanced out.

And stopped dead.

The sun had set, revealing the night sky. And there was just no way—no way—that what he was seeing was possible. All of the familiar stars and constellations he knew by heart were gone, replaced by new stars. And not just stars, but what looked like galaxies of all shapes and sizes. The sudden jerk when his leash ran out caused him to stumble forward a few steps, but he never took his eyes off the sky.

“What are you doing?” he heard Thor ask.

“Where are we?” Clint whispered.

“What?”

“Where are we?” he asked again, briefly darting his gaze toward Thor, who looked puzzled, before looking back out the window.

“The royal palace.”

“Yeah, but where is that? Where are we right now?”

“On Asgard, of course.” Thor’s replied sounded as if he expected Clint to know, and to know what that meant.

“Is that...?” he trailed off, swallowing back the sudden surge of fear and panic. “Is that on Earth?”

“Earth? You mean Midgard?” Thor chuckled. “Of course not. They are different worlds, after all.”

Oh, god. Oh, god, Clint wasn’t even on Earth anymore. He’d been kidnapped by magic-using aliens, brought to an alien planet, and been given to an alien prince. Clint blinked his eyes rapidly and clenched his jaw against the sudden urge to cry. He had no illusions about his situation; he was a sixteen year old orphan who hadn’t even gone to high school. Yeah, he had some skills, but there was no way he was getting out of this. Even if he did manage to get away from Thor, there was no way he was going to be able to get off the planet and get home. He was stuck, trapped. He would never see his brother, the circus, the few friends he had ever again.

Clint started to shake.

A heavy hand closed around the back of his neck, not threatening, but almost reassuring. “Be calm,” Thor murmured. “It’s all right.”

Clint wanted to scream at him that is was never going to be all right, but he knew that if he opened his mouth, he’d start bawling. So instead he clenched his hands together and tried to breathe, tried to get control over himself before he lost it. The only hope he had anymore was Thor, and he didn’t think he could afford to make the guy angry.

After a few minutes of Thor rubbing his neck—and Clint refused to admit that it felt good—he felt in control enough to finally look away from the window. He turned back to Thor and tried to relax, letting his muscles go pliant and unclenching his hands. “I-I’m all right,” he said, a little shakier than he wanted to. He had to be calm. He couldn’t get away, not on his own. That meant playing the long-game; either pissing off this guy enough that he sent him back home, or getting in his good graces enough to ask to be let go. Clint eyed Thor again. Yeah, pissing him off didn’t seem like the best plan. So keeping him happy it was. Clint hated sucking up and kissing ass, but it didn’t look like he had much of a choice.

Thor gave him one final pat on the head—Clint gritted his teeth—and stepped away. “Good.” He turned back down the hall and Clint hurried after him to keep from being jerked by the leash again. He kept telling himself to just roll with the punches and deal with things as they came. Anything else would just drive him crazy.

When they entered the large room, Clint could see that some of the others who had been present when he was handed over were already seated. There was the older guy, with gray hair and a beard, and the skinny black haired man. There were a few others, and Clint saw a woman dressed in a long gown and covered in jewels seated next to the old man. Clint was willing to bet that was Thor’s mom, and made a note not to piss her off. The black haired man looked over at them and smiled. Clint looked down quickly. It wasn’t a pleasant smile. The few others greeted Thor by name, and he moved quickly to take the empty seat between his father and one of his friends.

Clint was about to ask where he was supposed to sit when he noticed the large cushion on the floor by Thor’s chair. He frowned. What was that there for? Then Thor tugged him around to stand behind it and started to push down on his shoulder. For a moment, Clint stared at him, bewildered, until he figured out that Thor wanted him to kneel on the cushion.

He immediately locked his knees. “No,” he said. “No fucking way. I’m not going to sit at your feet like a fucking dog.”

Conversation around the table stilled and Clint flushed with embarrassment as he felt every eye come to rest on him. Thor frowned at him, face set in angry lines. Someone laughed.

“Disobedience from your pet already, Thor? That does not reflect well on you.”

Thor looked over at the black haired man. “He is young and new to this. He will learn, Loki.”

Thor’s grip tightened on Clint’s shoulder and he leaned down so that he could speak into his ear. “You will do as you are bid,” he said sternly. “You will not embarrass me in front of my family and friends. You will kneel on the cushion and when I have eaten, I will feed you. Do you understand?”

Clint tried to pull away, straining uselessly against Thor’s impossibly strong grip. “No,” he protested, even knowing that he shouldn’t. “I’m not an animal. I’m not going to sit on the goddamned _floor_ and let you _feed_ me. There’s no way-”

He got no further because Thor clamped his free hand over his mouth, hard enough that Clint tasted blood when his lips were pushed back into his teeth. Thor glared at him furiously and then looked over at a servant, nodding to them. The man hurried forward, holding something in his hand. Clint couldn’t tell what it was, but as soon as the servant was close, Thor removed his hand to take it.

Swiftly, before Clint could protest again, Thor pressed the object over his face. It covered Clint’s mouth and most of his chin, and ran in two strips along his cheeks almost to his ears. It was metal, hard and unforgiving against his flesh. And when Thor removed his hand, it stayed, no matter how much Clint tried to open his mouth or push it away with his tongue.

Seemingly satisfied, Thor pushed down on Clint’s shoulder again, and this time Clint couldn’t stop him from pressing him down into the cushion, not unless he wanted his shoulder broken. Glowering, he sank into the cushion and tried to make himself comfortable.

As soon as he was down, conversation resumed around the table as if it had never been interrupted. Thor filled his plate with food and joined in, laughing and joking as if Clint wasn’t kneeling right next to him, trying to kill him with looks alone. The scent of the food drifted to Clint and he swallowed hungrily, his stomach growling and reminding him that he hadn’t eaten in two days. Thor didn’t even look down at him, just kept talking and eating and drinking.

Finally, though, some of the others began to finish and rose from the table. Loki left first, smirking at Clint once more before he went. Thor’s friends and the others gradually followed until just Thor and his parents remained. His father stood, his mother rising a moment later. He nodded at Thor and left, while his mother came around the table. She bent to brush a kiss across Thor’s cheek and then smiled down at Clint, her expression soft and warm.

“For goodness sake, Thor, feed the poor boy. And make sure he gets a bath before you go to bed. He must be worn out. I’ll send some servants to your chamber to help him.”

“Thank you, Mother. Good night.”

“Goodnight, my dear.”

Once she was gone and they were alone, except for the servants standing silently against the walls, Thor turned in his seat and reached down. He pulled the gag off and gave Clint a few moments to work his jaw and wet his lips before speaking. Then he held up a piece of meat in front of Clint’s mouth, just out of reach. “During meals, you will kneel at my side, and if you behave, I will feed you. If you do not, you will have to wait until I am done. And if you cannot control your mouth, I will be forced to gag you until you learn.”

Then his face softened. “I don’t want to do that. I want to see you well cared for. Will you be too stubborn for you own good?”

Clint didn’t answer, his lips pressed in a thin line. Then his stomach rumbled again while Thor waited patiently, still holding the bite of food. “Fine,” he bit out.

Thor sighed and shook his head, but didn’t take the food away. Hesitantly, Clint leaned forward, opening his mouth and taking the food between his teeth. Quickly, he sat back, chewing and blushing fiercely at the humiliation. After a moment, he registered the taste of what he was eating, and it was all he could do not act like a dog and actually beg for more. It wasn’t just that it had been a couple of days since he’d eaten; while he couldn’t pin down exactly what it tasted like, it was delicious, the best thing he’d ever eaten. His mouth immediately watered for more and when Thor held up another bite, he made a shameful little whimpering sound and hurried to take it from Thor’s fingers.

He had intended to be as dignified as he possibly could when eating like this, but his hunger and the deliciousness of the food made that impossible. He opened his mouth eagerly for each bite—meats, cheeses, fruit and bread—and once caught himself licking Thor’s fingers for the juices that clung to them. He blushed again at that, but Thor seemed very pleased, smiling widely and stroking the back of Clint’s neck as he held up a goblet for him to drink from.

Finally, the gnawing hunger in Clint’s belly eased and he turned his face away when Thor held up more for him. “No more or I’m gonna be sick,” he said.

Thor eyed him for a moment and then nodded. He wiped his hands off on a cloth napkin and carefully wiped around Clint’s mouth. Then he stood, carefully helping Clint to his feet—it would have normally been an easy task, even with his hands bound, but now that he’d been fed, combined with all the stress of the last few days, he was tired, almost clumsy with lethargy.

They walked back to Thor’s rooms at a slower pace and Clint couldn’t focus enough to pay attention the way he had before. Besides, he was going to have lots and lots of time to study his surroundings before he go out. His lips twisted at the thought, which he realized belatedly that he shouldn’t let show, but Thor was in front of him and didn’t see.

Once back in Thor’s room, he was pulled along into a side room. A bathroom, he realized, nearly half of it taken up by a huge sunken tub. It was filled with steaming water and four young women stood by it, dressed in short, flimsy tunics. Clint’s mouth went dry and he dropped his gaze. Their clothes left very little to the imagination.

He looked up again as they came forward. Two of the girls began to remove Thor’s clothes and armor, setting it off to the side. They stepped into the tub with a very naked Thor and Clint immediately realized that when wet, their clothes were basically sheer. The other two girls came toward him, unclipping his leash and untying his hands. Before he could appreciate the freedom, they started stripping him of his tunic. “No, hey, wait!” he protested. “I can-I can do it! Just let me-”

The ignored him, stripping him with ruthless efficiency. Clint dropped his hands over his crotch. Yeah, he’d dreamed about finally getting naked with a girl, but _one_ girl, not four of them and another _guy_. They manhandled him into the tub with ruthless efficiency. Clint kept his head down, his face flaming red, and sank beneath the water as quickly as possible.

It felt really good. He hadn’t had an actual bath like this in years, if ever. The girls let him sit for a few minutes while they busied themselves fetching some things and setting them on the floor by the rim of the tub. On the other side of the tub, Thor’s girls were washing him, scrubbing soapy cloths over his arms, chest and back. And Thor kept...kept _touching_ them, making them giggle as they worked. They urged him to stand and Clint looked away again before he got an eyeful of Thor’s junk. There was more sounds of water splashing and giggling, and then a moan and a sigh and the sound of sucking....

Clint squeezed his eyes shut. Oh, god. This was not happening. His...his owner was not getting a blowjob when Clint sat in the same goddamn tub. He bit his lip as he felt his own dick start to get hard. Oh, god, please no.

Just then, the two girls attending to him came back and started to wash him as well. That didn’t even provide a good distraction; all he could focus on was their hands running all over his body, the way they pressed against him as they worked, their breasts against his arms and back, firm and soft all at the same time. His dick continued to get hard, and no matter how Clint desperately told it not to, it wasn’t long before he was completely erect.

The others didn’t help. The sucking continued, accompanied by Thor’s moans and murmurs of approval, and the soft cries of the other girl joined them. Clint couldn’t help but peek. Thor sat on the edge of the tub, one girl between his legs, then other next to him, plastered against his side as his hand worked between her legs. Clint shut his eyes again and gritted his teeth.

To his complete mortification, his girls pulled him to his feet, completely exposing him. They ignored his cock and focused on scrubbing his legs, but it didn’t do any good. His cock kept twitching each time they came near, eager for touch.

Finally, he was scrubbed down and rinsed, probably cleaner than he had been in years, but when he tried to sit back down, the girls wouldn’t let him. “My lord?” one of them asked. Clint peeked his eyes open again. Thankfully, Thor was sitting back down in the water, the girl he’d been getting off sat behind him, smiling softly as she massaged his head. The other girl, the one who’d been sucking him off, sat in his lap, legs spread wide with one of Thor’s arms snaking down between them. Her hands were on her breasts, playing with herself, and she was moaning softly. Clint couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

Thor grinned at them and nodded. “Go ahead,” he said, and Clint had no idea what he was talking about until a hand closed around his cock. He cried out and flailed for a moment. He tried to push her away, but the other girl distracted him, turning his face to the side and kissing him. The hand on his dick kept moving, stroking expertly, and Clint knew this was going to be over embarrassingly fast. The girl kissing him took one of his hands and placed it on her breast. He had just enough time to appreciate the perfect weight and shape of it and then he was coming, crying out helplessly as the girl stroking him worked him through his orgasm.

They helped him sit back down when he was done, his legs pitifully shaky. He felt exhausted, like everything that had happened just suddenly crashed down on him, and the burst of pleasure and euphoria was the last straw. He was completely docile as they got him out of the tub and dried him off. Clint couldn’t even find it in him to protest when the leash was reattached. He just wanted to sleep.

He did manage to protest briefly when they led him toward to the bed because their was no way _that_ was happening. Thor just sighed at him. “You may sleep on the floor if you wish, but I don’t think you’ll find it very comfortable.” Clint looked down as the glistening marble floor and sullenly shook his head. “Good choice,” Thor said.

Clint kept his mouth shut as the girls arranged him at the foot of the bed, fussing over him, even as they tied his leash to a bedpost with a complicated looking knot. It made Clint angry again, to be sleeping at the foot of his master’s bed like he really was a fucking _dog_ , but part of him reveled in the attention, the care that was shown to him as soft blankets were piled over him and a pillow tucked under his head. In minutes, he was settled, warm, full and more content than he could ever remember being before. They only thing that would have made it better was if he had had some choice about the whole thing.

The girls each gave Thor and kiss, and then stroked his hair before they slipped out the door. Thor reached down, too, cupping one massive hand over the back of Clint’s head. “Good night, little one,” he murmured warmly. “Sleep well.”

And with the that, Thor slipped into bed, the lights dimming, leaving Clint staring out in the darkness before he fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn’t take Thor long to conclude that his new pet was incredibly stubborn. After having to be gagged for that first meal, Thor had hoped he would have learned his lesson, but it wasn’t so. He had a great deal of difficulty controlling his tongue, no matter that he knew it would result in punishment for himself. Thor was forced to keep him gagged whenever they left his rooms.

Thor knew it reflected poorly on him to do that to his pet, but until Ivarr learned and accepted his place, he had little choice. He didn’t want to punish his pet. However else he might act, he could be sweet at times, and Thor didn’t want to diminish that. He could only hope that Ivarr’s need to be defiant wouldn’t last much longer.

On the rare occasion that Ivarr did behave himself, Thor made sure to reward with praise and by letting the serving girls pleasure him in the bath. He wanted to show Ivarr that there was a link between good behavior and pleasure. His pet was still so unused to the ways of sex and it was charming to see him blush and stammer. And Thor did not miss the way Ivarr would now perk up when it was time for a bath, eagerly watching to see if he had earned his treat and being disappointed when Thor deemed he hadn’t.

Four weeks passed with no sign of Ivarr giving up his stubbornness. He was proving Malekith’s words true, and Thor could see the potential in him to truly be a worthy pet to the crown prince of Asgard. But still, a little progress would have been nice.

A breakthrough finally occurred in the fifth week. Thor was preparing to join his family for dinner and he walked toward Ivarr, the gag held in his hand. Ivarr looked at it dejectedly and then slumped, holding his hands up, palm out to stop Thor. “Listen, I....” He sighed. “Can we just...not? If I promise to...behave, will you call me Clint and not use that thing anymore?”

Thor frowned. This was what he wanted from his pet, and his requests weren’t unreasonable. “I do not wish to use the gag; I only do because you have been unable to control yourself. As for your name, it does not befit your station.”

“Then can you use it when we’re alone at least? I...I’ll answer to the other one, but I want my name.”

Thor inclined his head. The request was simple, after all. If Ivarr wished to be called Clint, and it would help him learn, then Thor was willing to let his pet have that small allowance. “That, I can do. You promise you will behave yourself when we are around anyone else?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Very well, then.” Thor set the gag down on a table and picked up Clint’s leash. Clint looked no happier about it when Thor clipped it on than he had the first day Thor had done the same, but that would come in time.

Leading Clint through the halls, he paid no mind to those who cast a curious glance at his ungagged pet.  His family and friends gave them much the same looks, if more subtly and said nothing. Clint folded himself down onto his cushion without a fuss, without any outraged or sullen glares. His posture was a little lacking, but it was clear he was trying and Thor didn’t have the heart to correct him when it could easily be done in private later.

Thor ate a few bites first and then immediately offered some to Clint, who seemed surprised that he was being fed so early. He took the food quickly, though, and seemed to relax. Conversation flowed easily around the table and Thor basked in the obvious approval that he’d brought his pet to heel. As the meal went on, he urged Clint closer, until he could finally lay his pet’s head against his thigh. Clint shivered slightly against him, and settled down, curling his legs under him rather than kneeling up. Thor was so pleased that he fed him an extra helping of dessert and then let him lick the honey off his fingers.

As the meal lingered, Thor stroked Clint’s neck and shoulders, promising him softly that there would be a treat for him for being so good tonight. Clint shivered again, but remained quiescent.

After most of the others had drifted away, Thor gathered up Clint’s leash and urged him to his feet. Clint moved sluggishly as he got to his feet after so long kneeling and Thor steadied him until he had his feet under him. The serving girls were already waiting for them and Thor took off Clint’s leash, leading him into the bathing chamber. The girls stripped them both and Thor could see that Clint’s cock was already filling. He bent his head to whisper instructions into one of the girls ears, and then got into the tub.

Like always when Clint had been good, the girls lavished him with attention. And when he was clean, the girl whom Thor had spoken to urged Clint to sit up on the edge of the tub. “What are you-?” he began and then broke off with a strangled cry as the girl slipped to her knees to pleasure him with her mouth.

Thor sat back, pleased, and one of the other girls crawled into his lap. He laughed softly and lifted her, holding onto her hips, and slid her down onto his cock. Happy with how well the evening had gone, he was in a good mood, content to set a slow pace. On the other side of the tub, Clint didn’t last very long and he very nearly fell into the water when the girl finally pulled away. They eased his limp body back down and began massaging some fragrant oil into his arms, cooing and giggling over him. Satisfied that Clint was taken care of, Thor turned his attention back to the girl in his lap, letting her ride him until they both found completion and they lavished the same attention on him that Clint was getting.

His pet was popular was the girls. They found him cute and delightfully naive, the way he blushed and stammered around them only encouraging them to flirt with him. In time, he would stop being so easily embarrassed, and Thor decided that when he was a little older and could be trusted completely that he would let Clint lay with the girls if he wished.

He idly wondered if Clint’s tastes ran to boys as well. Briefly, Thor entertained the fantasy of Clint coming undone under his touch, but pushed it away. For now. If Clint was solely a pleasure pet, like his mother’s precious Lofn was, then Thor could have taken him right away as he would have been trained for it. But Clint’s appeal lay more in his unusual origin and he had come untrained in anything. Thor would have to mold him carefully first before training him to be a companion in bed as well.

The girls dried them off and led Clint to Thor’s bed where they settled him in for the night, fussing over him to make sure he was comfortable, and each gave him a quick kiss before they did the same to Thor and hurried out. When they were gone, Thor sat by Clint, running his fingers through the freshly washed golden hair, still so short by Aesir standards. Thor thought he might keep it short—it seemed to suit him—but he would let it grow out first and then see.

Clint looked up at him with wide eyes, clearly a little apprehensive, so Thor made no sudden movements. “Was that not better?” he asked softly, trailing the backs of his fingers down Clint’s cheek. “It pleases me to care for you and see you happy, and I would have you act this way all the time so that I might be able to.”

Hesitantly, Clint nodded, still looking unsure.

“You did so well,” Thor continued. “I was so proud of you, to have you at my side, looking so perfect that all were jealous of me?”

“Perfect?” Clint asked timidly.

“Nearly so,” Thor replied, smiling. “There are a few small things we have to work on, but you did splendidly.

Clint looked away for a moment and then back up. “Sometimes, back home, if we were really good we got privileges. Does that work here, too?”

“It depends what you mean by privileges?” It was true that the better behaved a pet was, the more likely a master was to reward them with presents, but it was always at their discretion. If the promise of a few baubles earned him Clint’s continuing obedience, then Thor had no trouble giving him things.

“Dunno.” Clint shrugged. “Like, sometimes we got to go places, or got a present.”

“I don’t see why not,” Thor said. “Did you have something in mind?”

Clint licked his lips. “I wanna use a bow.”

Thor sighed. Pets did use weapons if that was their purpose; Fenrir came instantly to mind. But Clint was still much too young, much too untrained to be allowed that yet. Still, denying him outright would probably be a poor idea.

“Perhaps someday,” Thor allowed. “A privilege such as that...you would have to earn it, Clint. It would please me to show off your skills, but I couldn’t dream of putting a weapon in your hand, not yet.” Clint’s face fell and Thor bent down to place a small kiss at his temple. “Do not despair. I did not say never. But you must be patient and work hard. Can you do that?”

Clint nodded, still looking dejected. Thor patted his shoulder. “Do not dwell on it. I’m sure you can do it. Sleep, for now, my little one.”

Curling up tighter under his blanket, Clint ducked his head down. Thor sighed softly. Hopefully, a good night’s rest would improve his pet’s disposition in the morning and they could continue where they had left off tonight. Thor slipped beneath his blankets and stretched out, tucking a foot under Clint’s arm to offer a little comfort while they slept.


	4. Chapter 4

_It was supposed to be temporary,_ Clint thought to himself, watching from his customary spot at the foot of the bed as Thor walked around the room before settling at his desk. The whole “be a good little pet to lull his ‘owner’ into a sense of complacency” schtick was supposed to be an act to get Thor and the others to trust him enough to think about letting him go. But….

But it was hard to deny that he was better fed and more rested than he’d been...since _ever_. All of his lingering injuries had healed and he hadn’t suffered so much as a bruise in months. He’d actually gained weight, the grooves of his ribcage slowly filling in. And it was obvious that Thor had genuine affection for him. He gave praise and touches freely, often without thought, and Clint couldn’t see it as a calculated effort to mess with his mind. The idea of escaping, or of winning his freedom somehow, had begun to seem increasingly distant and unreachable. And unwanted.

Clint shifted, rolling onto his back slightly, still keeping an eye on Thor. He tried to summon his initial fear and rage and indignation...and came up empty. He tried to remember why he wanted to get back home so badly...and found nothing to go back to. He tried to focus on his love for Barney...and realized he might not actually love his brother, at least not as much as he’d thought.

He shifted again, pulling his legs up and bending his knees so that his feet were flat on the bed. The movement was enough to attract Thor’s attention and he looked up to smile at Clint before returning to the scrolls before him. Thor had never hit him, never raised a hand to him, never withheld food or sleep if he didn’t perform perfectly. Even when Clint had been acting difficult, Thor had simply waited until they were alone to feed him. There were no punishments, though granted Clint had never embarrassed Thor in public, but he sensed that even if he did, Thor still wouldn’t harm him. Clint couldn’t say that about anyone else in his life, except for maybe his mom, and she hadn’t been able to stop his dad. He couldn’t even say that about Barney. They had loved each other once, when they were younger, but they’d both changed and Barney was no longer someone who had Clint’s best interests at heart. Before Clint been taken, if he had screwed up or defied Barney, Barney hadn’t hesitated to use his fists to make Clint comply. Clint suspected that if someone tried to hurt him now, Thor would demonstrate the literal meaning of tearing someone limb from limb.

It made him feel funny to know that there was someone who was so protective of him and not because he had something of value to offer. He felt warm and embarrassed and a little afraid. At first, he’d wanted nothing more than to escape and leave all of this behind. Now he was beginning to worry that he might do something to make Thor send him away.

Rolling over completely to face away from Thor, Clint curled into a ball and tried to figure out exactly he was going to do. He was a slave here, a pet. Thor owned him, would always own him; he would never truly be free even if he earned more freedoms. That should bother him, but what had freedom ever really earned him besides bruises, broken bones, hungry days and sleepless nights? What did he have to back to? He had no education, hell, he barely finished elementary school and no training except for how to shoot a bow. He had no friends, no family except for Barney. What would he do for work? Stay with the circus until he was an old man, hoping for enough kindness from others to support him? Get a minimum wage job, slaving away just to eke out a meager existence, sacrificing his body and health? He had _nothing_ and nothing to go back to.

On the other hand, here he had as much food as he could eat, clothing that was soft to the touch—even if it was far too revealing—baths every day, a luxurious bed to sleep in. He lived in a palace with a prince, for God’s sake! Thor had begun taking him outside, letting him enjoy brilliant sunshine and fresh air, with the promise of more rewards to come. He was also surrounded by beautiful people and getting handjobs and blowjobs on a regular basis. And what did it cost him? He had to wear a collar and follow orders, the latter which was something he already did. The kneeling and allowing Thor to feed him was a little humiliating, but no one mocked him for it, so he was getting used to it. Basically, all Clint had to do was exist and he earned a better life than he would have dreamed possible. And if he got to use his bow, he couldn’t think of anything else he might want. The cost seemed very easy to pay in that light.

Behind him, the bed dipped and a large hand settled on the back of his head. Clint turned to see Thor sitting on the edge of the bed, frowning down at him. “Are you well?” Thor asked, the concern clear in his voice. “Is something wrong?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Clint shook his head and rolled over, letting himself curl against Thor. He still wasn’t entirely comfortable doing that, but it pleased Thor to no end and he had to admit that it felt good to be touched and know there would be no pain coming. “Just thinking,” he mumbled, pressing his cheek against Thor’s thigh and trying not to think about how intimate the position was.

“What troubles you?” Thor asked, stroking the hair that had grown longer since Clint was brought to Asgard. “Anything I should know?”

Clint shook his head again, unwilling to reveal what he’d been thinking about or the conclusions he was coming to. “Nothing important,” he sighed.

“Important enough to make you melancholy,” Thor chided, fingers massaging in small circles. Unthinkingly, Clint pressed closer to the touch, eyes falling shut. He was going to have to tell Thor something to get him to stop prying. Maybe Clint could turn it to his advantage.

“I was thinking about my bow,” he said slowly. “I miss shooting.”

Thor’s hand slowed and then stilled. “It was that important to you?”

“Yeah. It was the one thing I had that I was good at and no one was willing to take that away from me.”

The sound Thor made was thoughtful, but he said nothing. Clint waited another minute and then added, “And I could really use a haircut.”

At that, Thor chuckled. “We shall see to that tonight.” He eased away from Clint and stood, urging Clint to follow him. “Come, enough moping. Some exercise will clear your head.”

Clint rose quickly—Thor hadn’t needed to tug on his leash in weeks—and followed Thor out of the door.

~*~

The next day, Clint spent a lot of time running his hands through his freshly cut hair. Thor had kept his promise and after his bath, one of the girls had carefully trimmed his hair. Most people here seemed to have long hair, but that had never been a style Clint liked.

He had to leave it alone during breakfast and afterward Thor led him outside. Clint bounced slightly on his toes, excited at the prospect of getting to spend the day outside. They didn’t go the way he expected, though, instead turning off down another corridor. Interested, Clint looked around. He’d never been in this part of the palace before. “Where are we going?” he asked.

“You’ll see,” Thor replied without turning around. They walked further, taking a few more turns before Thor finally opened a door and sunlight spilled through. Clint walked around and then halted as soon as he was outside. These weren’t the gardens Thor had always taken to him before. Instead, there was nothing except hard packed dirt stretching out in front of them. There were a few benches and tables close to the door and at the far end were several archery targets. Set on one of the tables were a few bows, several quivers and shooting guards.

Clint’s heart thudded painfully in his chest as he felt hope building up. He stared at everything hungrily and then looked at Thor, who stood watching him with a broad smile on his face. “Is this for me?” Clint managed to ask.

“Yes,” Thor said, stepping forward to take Clint’s leash off. “Test the draws to find that which suits you best and then you may shoot until the quivers are empty.”

Practically running to the table, Clint tested each bow carefully, using the time it took him to compose himself. The heaviest bows didn’t feel right in his hands, which made Clint frown. He knew he was out of practice, that he’d lost muscles needed to draw the heavier bows. But if he was allowed to practice more often, then that would return. For now, he settled on one of the medium bows. Satisfied, he put on the guards, carefully tightening them so that they would wouldn’t slip and chafe. Then he hung a quiver across his back, stepped around the table so his shots would be unimpeded and selected an arrow. He sent it against the bow, then lifted his arms and sighted. After drawing a deep breath, he slowly let it out, and with the last of his breath, released the arrow.

The first shot went slightly wide. Clint didn’t need to walk down to the targets to see that. Instead, he drew another arrow and released it, the motions coming back to him as easily as if he had just practiced the day before. Within five shots, he was hitting the bullseye every time, creating tight clusters of arrows in each target before moving onto the next. Thor didn’t say a word as Clint lost himself in the familiar rhythm of draw, pull, release.

By the time the last arrow had been sunk deep into the last target, he felt loose and relaxed in a way he hadn’t since he’d been taken. He was centered, sure and confident in who and what he was. He turned to Thor, curious to see what his reaction was.

Thor stood there, eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. Pride swelled inside of Clint that he’d managed to impress him. Slowly, Thor walked down to check the targets while Clint removed everything and set the guards, quiver and bow back down on the table. Thor came back to Clint, shaking his head faintly. “Had I not seen it, I would have doubted that a human was capable of such a thing.”

“Hawkeye, World’s Greatest Marksman!” Clint boasted, beaming and taking a bow like he used to in the circus, Thor’s quiet wonder as good as a full audience cheering and applauding.

“A title well earned, it seems,” Thor agreed. “Malekith didn’t know how well he chose when he chose you.” Suddenly, he swept Clint into a tight hug and dropped a brief kiss on his lips. Clint’s eyes flew open wide as he stared at Thor, stunned. The skin around his lips tingled from the brush of Thor’s beard.

He followed Thor back into the palace in a daze, wondering why Thor had kissed him. Was it just another show of his affection, like the petting or the shared baths, or did it mean something more? Once he’d gotten used to it, Clint had no problem with what the girls did to him in the bath. But Thor had never indicated he wanted anything like that. Did this mean he did? What if he wanted more? Was Clint willing to do that? If Thor really wanted it, there was no way Clint could stop him.

He’d never thought about being with a guy before. Sure, he’d noticed guys, maybe very rarely thought about them when he got himself off, and he knew that it wasn’t normal, but that was on Earth. Was it more normal here? Clint couldn’t see anyone calling Thor a fag. Maybe he got away with it because he was a prince?

The questions whirled through his mind as he followed Thor.


	5. Chapter 5

Thor could not have been prouder of his pet. When Clint had first spoken of his prowess with a bow, Thor had thought it nothing more than a boast, sure that while Clint might have some skill, there was no way he could be as good as he claimed. But Clint not only proved him wrong, he made Thor feel ashamed that he had thought so little of him. And if Thor had been amazed by his pet’s first efforts when he was given a bow, it was nothing compared to how he could perform when actual challenges were presented to him. After that first afternoon, Thor had demanded to know just how skilled Clint was, and Clint had shyly told him there was nowhere he couldn’t shoot from or any target he couldn’t hit. Over the next months, Thor had tested those claims and found them completely accurate.

Distance seemed to be no obstacle. Clint could strike targets that Thor himself could barely see, and do so with an accuracy that had to be seen to be believed. He could put an arrow through any target in motion, no matter how small or how fast. He could shoot standing from the back of a horse or while scaling the branches of a tall tree, even while hanging upside or falling. Once he’d practiced a bit, he was fast enough to have five arrows in the air at once and was sure that in time he would be able to do more. And any small mistakes he made ceased as soon as Thor found him the right bow, taken from the royal armory itself. Clint had gazed at it in awe and disbelief, and Thor had to reassure him that it was really for him.

Clint was incredible to watch and Thor very nearly burst with pride. He hadn’t shown anyone else Clint’s skills yet, though in time he would. Clint’s abilities would raise his standing among the other pets and increase Thor’s own honor for owning and training him properly. But for now, he wanted to keep this knowledge to himself, something completely his.

Giving Clint a bow had also changed something in him. He smiled easily now, was no longer tense and defensive in Thor’s presence, and only minorly wary around others. He’d gone from submitting to Thor’s attentions reluctantly to nestling up to Thor of his own volition, even actively seeking out petting and cuddling when he wanted it. And while there was a mix of emotion in his striking eyes when Thor looked at him, he didn’t think he was wrong to see love there. In giving Clint the thing he treasured most, it seemed Thor had earned Clint’s unwavering loyalty and affection, and he cursed himself for a fool for waiting so long to give his pet this gift.

Clint’s desire for more physical interaction turned Thor’s thoughts back to something that had first come to mind a while ago—whether or not to have Clint fulfil the role of a pleasure pet as well.

In his time on Asgard, Clint had filled out and grown. It was apparent he would never reach Thor’s stature, but he had grown a few inches and would likely grow at least a few more. The signs of hunger had disappeared. And as he trained, he’d begun to add muscle, most noticeable in his arms and shoulders, and in the beginnings of definition in his chest and abdomen. When he was fully grown, he would be breathtaking.

Thor glanced across the tub to where Clint sat, eyes squeezed shut and mouth open as one of the girls knelt between his legs, and felt his own cock twitch. He wanted to do that, wanted to put that expression on Clint’s face, wanted to be the cause of the sounds dropping from his lips. He had planned to let Clint take his pick of the girls to bed, but now he didn’t think he was going to. Even these nightly pleasure would have to stop because he wanted Clint all to himself. In all ways. But he would need to proceed carefully. If he didn’t do this the right way, Clint might think he had done something wrong or was being punished.

Thor watched Clint come, panting for breath, and made his decision. He would start tomorrow.

~*~

In private, Thor gave instructions to the girls. They didn’t question his edict that they only touch and tease Clint and not to go any further. The first night after Thor had ordered them to stop, Clint actually whined, chasing after their fleeting touches once they’d stroked him to full hardness and then stopped. His confused frown was adorable and Thor bit back a chuckle when he settled back in the water, pouting when they refused to finish him off.

That night, and each night thereafter, Thor watched as Clint tried to subtly rut against the bed or pleasure himself. He never got very far, not trying to hide it from Thor, but it showed that he was frustrated and wanted more than he was getting.

It took almost two weeks for Clint to ask him if he had done something wrong, waiting until he was curled up on the bed. Thor had immediately pulled him into his arms, stroking his hair and neck and reassuring him that he had not. Clint resisted for a few moments before finally sagging against Thor. Thor waited for him ask why, and when Clint didn’t, he felt absurdly pleased that Clint accepted what Thor had decided without question. Now it was time to see if Clint would be willing to go any further.

As Thor stepped out of the bathroom, dropping his towel to the floor, Clint quickly turned his face down into the blankets. Thor had caught the same motion a few times before. Clint seemed not to want to look, and yet if Thor did not get dressed right away, inevitably he would catch Clint sneaking glances. And as Clint slept naked, Thor was also able to observe a more positive physical reaction.

One night, he met Clint’s gaze and Clint had immediately flushed red. Embarrassed, he burrowed himself deeper under his blanket. Thor stood looking at him, head tilted to the side in consideration. Then he stepped up to the bed, forcing Clint to lift his head in acknowledgement. Reaching out, Thor stroked a hand through Clint’s hair and then sat on the bed next to him.

“Curious?” he asked gently. Clint shook his head, but Thor just chuckled and reached over to pull him closer. Clint went easily, knowing how futile his strength was against Thor and that Thor always got what he wanted in the end anyway. Thor maneuvered both of them until he was stretched out on the bed, propped up pillows and Clint semi-kneeling between his legs. “Here, there’s no reason to be shy. I have seen you looking. There is no shame in it. Go on, touch what you like.” He kept his tone soft, careful, suggesting a course of action, but allowing Clint to choose what to do.

For a long time, Clint didn’t move, worrying his lower lip between his teeth, eyes flicking up to look at Thor and then back down. Thor didn’t force him; he didn’t want Clint’s fear.

Eventually, hesitantly, Clint reached out. His hand hovered over Thor’s mostly erect cock before quickly brushing his fingers over it. He snatched his hand back almost immediately, and then flinched, eyes darting up meet Thor’s to gauge his reaction. It was endearing and Thor smiled widely to show no offense had been taken. Licking his lips, Clint reached out again, his movements a little more confident. His touches were still light, almost enough to tickle, but Thor made no move to pressure him. Instead, he relaxed back into the pillows, letting Clint take his time.

Clint’s lower lip found its way between his teeth again, but this time in focused concentration. It seemed once given permission, his natural curiosity began to emerge. He continued to touch lightly, growing bolder as he explored Thor’s cock and balls. He seemed slightly fascinated with Thor’s foreskin—Thor had already seen that Clint had none, and wondered why not. Whatever the reason, it made for a pretty sight.

After several minutes, Clint paused and looked up. “I don’t know what to do,” he muttered, shoulders hunching defensively.

Thor cupped his cheek, rubbing his thumb over Clint’s swollen bottom lip, gratified when Clint leaned into the touch. “What feels good to you?”

“I haven’t-” Clint started and then stopped. “Not since I got here. There w-were the girls. And you were always in bed.” The blush, which had faded, rose once more, turning Clint’s face bright red.

“That’s no reason for you not to. Here.” Thor tugged Clint closer, turning him so that he was sitting with his back to Thor’s chest, their legs stretched out between them. There was no way Clint couldn’t feel the hard press of Thor’s cock against his back, and he squirmed slightly. Difficult though it was, Thor kept still, waiting until Clint eventually relaxed. Then reached for the small jar on the table by his bed. “Take some,” he instructed, opening the jar and holding it in front of Clint.

Carefully, Clint reached out to the jar, dipping two fingers into the oily mixture. He looked over his shoulder at Thor. “Y-You want to watch me…?”

Thor nodded for him to continue. “Indeed. I very much want to watch you pleasure yourself.”

In his arms, Clint shivered and took a deep breath before reaching down to slowly spread the slick over his cock. Thor set the jar off to the side in case Clint needed more and then tucked his head over Clint’s shoulder to watch, wrapping his arms around Clint’s waist to keep him close.

Clint’s first few touches were hesitant, and Thor could see he kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “Do as you like,” Thor instructed, kissing his temple. Clint nodded, licked his lips, and wrapped his hand around his cock.

It was a lovely sight. Clint’s slick hand slowly stroked over his full cock, from root to tip. Every other stroke, he swiped his thumb over the naked head, shuddering slightly. Thor could tell he was trying not to rush, that he was following Thor’s desire to watch and putting on a show for him. But still, he was young and had spent the last few weeks frustrated. It was clear he wouldn’t last as long as either might have hoped. But that wasn’t what was important. Clint’s willingness to touch Thor, his willingness to give Thor what he wanted was what mattered, and Thor would see him rewarded for that.

Thor let his right hand drift up to Clint’s chest, lightly circling his left nipple before pinching lightly. Clint gasped and went tense. “Do you like that?” Thor murmured, pinching again, and Clint nodded. “In that case….” Thor brought his other hand up and gave Clint’s right nipple the same treatment, his arms still crossed over Clint’s chest to keep his pet pressed against him.

Clint uttered a little keening sound, arching against Thor as his hand moved faster. “So sensitive,” Thor whispered, nuzzling the skin of Clint’s neck, never stopping his touches, rolling and pinching Clint’s nipples. Clint was gasping now, eyes squeezed shut tightly. “Come,” Thor said. “Come for me, my little hawk.”

Clint’s other hand slipped down to his balls and he squeezed, gently, but it was enough. He gave a full body shudder and then went stiff, choking out an inarticulate cry as he came, his seed falling over his hand and belly. Thor ceased his ministrations as soon as Clint stopped coming, not wanting to push Clint’s sensitivity into discomfort.

It took a little while for Clint to gather himself. He lay gasping in Thor’s arms, flushed and sweaty, little tremors running through him every so often. Thor held him close, stroking his sides and arms gently, murmuring how beautiful he was, how good he was, how much he wanted to see Clint like this again. Clint whimpered at that, turning his head and tucking it against Thor’s neck, almost as if he were trying to hide.

“None of that,” Thor chided. He shifted, turning Clint’s pliant body sideways and arranging him across Thor’s lap. Clint laid his head against Thor’s chest and slipped his arms around him. “Did you enjoy yourself?” Thor asked. Clint nodded wordlessly. “I would hear your voice, little one.”

“I...yeah. It was good,” Clint said quietly.

“Just good?” Thor prompted.

“All right, fine, no. It was amazing,” Clint muttered, hiding his face further against Thor’s chest.

Thor chuckled softly at his pet’s shyness, but didn’t push the subject further. “You were gorgeous,” Thor assured him. “Would you like to do it again?”

The words were scarcely out of his mouth before Clint was nodding and Thor grinned. Then Clint went still. “Um...what about you?” he asked quietly. With his position and the way his head was tilted down, he could clearly see Thor’s cock, still hard, fluid gleaming wetly around the head.

Thor shrugged. “I will attend to myself later. You need not worry about it.”

Clint looked up, eyes wide. “So you don’t want me to…?” He gestured.

Thor shook his head. “No, not tonight. Perhaps another night, but for now I am content with having watched you.”

“Oh.” Clint’s voice quiet, but Thor could clearly hear the surprise. He didn’t say anything else and Thor didn’t either, letting his pet settle and absorb what had happened. Finally, when Clint yawned, Thor moved him off his lap, settling him at the foot of the bed like always. But Clint looked at him with big eyes as Thor slipped beneath his own blanket, lip caught between his teeth, clearly wanting to say something.

“What is it?” Thor asked.

“Can I...can I sleep with you?” Clint asked in a rush.

Thor considered the request and then nodded. In a flash, Clint moved up the bed, bringing his blanket with him. He didn’t try to get under the covers with Thor, just curled up at his side. Thor let one hand settle on Clint’s head, feeling the way Clint relaxed at the touch. Within minutes, Clint was asleep and Thor smiled, already envisioning the pleasures yet to come.


	6. Chapter 6

Clint watched Thor sleep and knew he was going to have to make a very important decision very soon. So far, Thor had been escalating their encounters slowly. He had let Clint masturbate with nothing else required of him for a week or so, and then he'd begun to touch Clint himself. It had been shocking to have someone else touch him that intimately. Shocking and exciting. Thor held him close, kissing him as he jacked Clint off, cuddling him afterwards as Clint shook through the aftershocks. After that, he carefully guided Clint to return to favor, patiently walking Clint through his awkwardness and showing him how he liked to be touched. It made Clint oddly proud of himself, to cause Thor, a prince, to fall apart like that.

But he knew that Thor wouldn't be content to simply watch forever. At some point--and he thought it would be soon--Thor was going to expect more from him than a handjob. Clint had no doubt that Thor was going to fuck him eventually, but he wasn't as afraid of that as he had been. Thor had been nothing but gentle and patient, and despite how strong he was and large he was in all ways, Clint knew he wouldn't hurt him. So Clint could simply wait for it to happen...or he could take the first step on his own and show Thor that he was more than willing. So far, Thor had rewarded good behavior. Maybe this would help get Clint home.

He tried not to think about how that goal seemed increasingly distant and unimportant.

Taking a deep breath, he carefully eased the covers down. Thor didn’t stir as his body was revealed. Luckily for Clint, Thor slept naked, which meant he didn’t risk doing anything that would wake Thor up before he could start his plan. When the covers were down to Thor’s knees, Clint stopped. In sleep, Thor—and his cock—was still impressive and intimidating. Clint swallowed hard, forcing his fear and hesitation down. He could do this. It didn’t matter that he’d never tried this before. He was the Amazing Hawkeye and he wasn’t afraid of anything.

Still, it took him a couple tries to work up the courage to slide up onto his knees and bend over Thor’s supine form, licking his lips. Thor didn’t stir at the first touch of Clint’s mouth on his cock, but as Clint slipped the head into his mouth, sucking carefully and his tongue playing with the foreskin, his cock did begin to fill. Clint was glad he started this way, letting himself adjust to Thor’s size gradually and getting used to the musky taste that wasn’t as off-putting as he’d thought it was going to be.

When Thor was mostly hard, he grunted and shifted. Clint made himself not jerk away, just kept sucking and licking as Thor got fully hard. “Clint?” Thor’s sleepy rumble made Clint look up, waiting nervously for a reaction. Thor blinked a few times before a wide, pleased grin spread across his face. “Clint,” he said again, so warm and pleased and happy that Clint had to look back down.

“Here,” Thor murmured, sitting up and drawing Clint between his spread legs. He slid a hand around the back of his neck, urging him back down. Clint felt a flutter of nervousness at the placement of Thor’s hand, but Thor didn’t shove him down or force him to go faster when Clint took his cock back into his mouth.

He didn’t know what he was doing, exactly, but mimicked as best he could what the serving girls had done to him. Clint focused on sucking, on trying to take Thor as deeply as he could without choking, and when he pulled back he used his tongue to play with the foreskin and the slit in Thor’s cock. With each approving hum and gasp and moan, Clint got more comfortable, more confident. He could do this, without feeling afraid or pressured.

And it was even kind of enjoyable.

Thor’s fingers began to rub soft circles against the exposed skin of his neck and hairline. His thumb slipped across his cheek to rest against the corner of Clint’s mouth, where his lips were stretched wide around Thor’s cock. Clint glanced up and met Thor’s eyes. Thor’s gaze was hot and heavy with want and desire. Clint felt his own cock, previously soft, twitch and begin to fill. He had to pull off momentarily to catch his breath, panting as he felt a blush spring up on his cheeks and crawl down his neck and chest. Thor stroked his thumb over Clint’s swollen lower lip. “Beautiful,” he said, and before Clint could duck his head in embarrassment, tugged him back down to finish what he started.

When Thor started to move his hips to meet each bob of Clint’s head, Thor tried to tug Clint away. But Clint stubbornly resisted, wanting to prove that he could do it. Thor didn’t try to tug him away again. He came in Clint’s mouth, Clint doing his best to swallow it all. Some come did spill out, sliding down Clint’s chin. The taste was odd, a little salty, slightly bitter, but it wasn’t as gross as Clint had thought it was going to be.

Thor slipped his cock free of Clint’s mouth and then tugged him up so that he was laying across Thor’s chest. With one finger, Thor swiped up the come that had spilled held it up to Clint’s mouth. Hesitantly, Clint opened his mouth and sucked Thor’s finger clean. Thor’s smile was brilliant and he wrapped his arms around Clint. “You’re amazing,” he said against Clint’s hair. “Perfect.”

Clint tucked himself closer against Thor, turning his face into Thor’s neck, trying not to show how much the praise affected him. The movement was enough to press his cock against Thor’s belly.

“Ah,” Thor said. “Poor thing. Let me help you with that.”

With one hand, he reached for the oil, deftly spreading some onto his fingers and then wrapping his hand around Clint’s cock. It didn’t take long to get Clint off, just a couple of minutes of Thor’s firm strokes, and then he was spilling over Thor’s hand and belly. Thor looked at his hand with one brow raised and then held his hand up to Clint. Clint looked at him with wide eyes, licked his lips nervously, and then parted them.

He cleaned Thor’s hand, face burning as Thor swiped the come off of his stomach and fed it to Clint. As soon as the last of it was gone, Clunt buried his face against Thor’s shoulder, mortified.

Thor’s chuckle rumbled through him. “Do not be embarrassed, little one,” he said. “You did well, so well, there is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Clint could only shrug, and Thor let him stay where he was, stroking his back until it was finally time for him to rise.

~*~

The next day, Thor, wearing a long, blood red cape, handed Clint a complete set of clothes—pants, a light, long-sleeved tunic and boots. Clint looked up at him, sure his confusion showed on his face. “Get dressed,” Thor told him, clearly excited about something.

“Where are we going?” Clint asked, slipping his normal tunic off and pulling the new clothes on. They fit perfectly, as did the boots.

“You’ll see,” Thor said, attaching the leash to his collar as soon as Clint was dressed. He led Clint through the palace, down unfamiliar halls, until finally they were outside, Clint blinking against the bright sunlight. It wasn’t the the small courtyards and gardens Thor had taken him to; this time, they were truly outside of the palace. Clint looked around with wide eyes, trying to take in the enormity of everything.

Thor gave him a few minutes to look around, and then tugged him over. There was a horse, saddled and waiting, bigger than any Clint had seen in the circus, but not big like draft horses. This horse looked like it could run and Clint was struck by the desire to leap onto its back and take off, the way he’d done in the circus when he could get away with it. But...he wasn’t in the circus, and he pretty sure that if he did, it would be seen as an escape attempt. Clint really didn’t want to give the impression he was trying to run away.

Thor led them over to the horse and vaulted easily into the saddle. Then he leaned over, holding out an arm to Clint. Clint grinned, grasped Thor’s arm, and jumped up behind him. Surprised, Thor looked back over his shoulder at him. “You’ve ridden before.”

Clint nodded, tucking himself against Thor’s back and wrapping his arms around his waist. “Yeah, in the circus. Used to ride ‘em whenever I got the chance.”

Thor made a considering hum. “Then we shall have to go riding more often in the future.” Clint looked up, startled, but he didn’t get the chance to say anything because Thor put his heels to the horse’s flanks and they were off, galloping through streets into the heart of the city.

The grin stretching across Clint’s face was so wide it hurt. Everything raced by in a blur, but he caught enough to see that while the city itself wasn’t as magnificent as the palace, it had its own appeal. Clint could imagine himself just getting lost in it, running across roofs and down back alleys.

The shop they stopped in front of surprised Clint. It appeared to be a jeweler and he frowned at the wealth of riches displayed in the wide windows. Why would Thor being him here?

Thor dismounted first, then lifted Clint down, ignoring his protests that he could do it himself. Wrapping Clint’s leash around his hand, Thor led him into the shop. There was no bell and then door made no sound, but almost instantly, a well-dressed man hurried forward.

“Your Highness,” the man said, bowing low. “I am honored. What bring you to my humble shop today?”

“I have need of your services.” Thor tugged Clint forward. “I wish to commission a new collar for my pet, one that properly reflects his status.” Clint’s head snapped up to look at Thor, but Thor was ignoring him, focused on the jeweler.

The jeweler’s face lit up. “But of course! Let me take measurements and then we can discuss materials. If you would please remove his collar, I’ll get started right away.”

The man bustled off, rummaging behind his counter. Thor carefully unbuckled Clint’s collar, coiling it with the leash and placing it on the counter. The jeweler came back a minute later, hands full of tape measures and collars. He fussed over Clint, taking several measurements before trying one of the collars on his neck. He asked Clint questions about the fit, about how tight it was as he had Clint move his head around. He wrote down notes as he went, murmuring things to himself that Clint couldn’t quite catch. Clint kept sneaking glances at Thor, who just smiled encouragingly at him.

Finally, the jeweler was done. He set all his materials down on the counter and turned back to Thor, waiting for him to finish reattaching Clint’s leather collar, hands rubbing together in eagerness. “Have you give any thought to what you would like it crafted from?”

Thor stroked his beard. “I think I’d like the collar and chain to be silver.”

“Not gold?” the jeweler asked, clearly disappointed in the choice of the less costly metal.

Thor glanced around and pulled two thick necklaces from their stands, one gold and one silver. He draped them across Clint’s neck, one at a time. “I think the silver looks better, don’t you?”

The jeweler nodded. “I see what you mean. The silver does suit him much better.” He brightened. “It’s far more durable, too,” he enthused, warming to his subject. “A much sturdier material for your pet. Will this be a plain collar or something decorative?”

Thor grinned and ran a finger down Clint’s cheek. “Something decorative, I think. It should match him.”

Clint blushed furiously as the jeweler echoed Thor’s statements. Clint was so busy looking away that he missed the next few questions, but when he looked back, Thor and the jeweler were looking through piles of gemstones laid out on a wide swath of black velvet. Thor was poking through the piles with one large finger, a frown on his face. “I don’t know….” he murmured.

Straightening, Thor and turned toward Clint, tugging him close. He waved his free hand over the piles of gems. “Are there any that you like?”

Looking at the brilliantly colored stones, Clint didn’t know how to respond. Short of stealing them, he never thought he’d ever be this close to something so valuable. Now being asked to choose what he liked? He had no fucking idea. His brain couldn’t quite wrap itself around the fact the fact that he was being asked to choose what he wanted on the item that would declare that he was a slave. So he just shrugged.

Thor frowned and Clint hoped he wasn’t angry. “Don’t worry about they are. You may have what you like.” When Clint continued to just stand there, Thor gripped the back of his neck gently. “Do you not like them?”

“That’s not it,” Clint said quickly. “They’re really...pretty. I just don’t….” He shrugged again.

“Hmm,” Thor sighed. “What is your favorite color?”

“What?” Clint looked up at him, startled.

“What is your favorite color?”

“Uh...purple?” Clint answered hesitantly.

“Excellent.” Thor smiled him and squeezed his neck gently, then turned back to the jeweler. “Amethysts, then.”

“Very good, Your Highness,” the jeweler smiled and bowed, clearly pleased, moving quickly the put all the gems away in their pouches.

“When will it be ready?” Thor asked.

“Normally an order like this would take two weeks, but for you, I shall do my best to have it within a week.”

“Thank you. You’ll be paid upon delivery.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Wrapping the leash around his hand, Thor led Clint back outside to his horse. Again, he mounted first, but this time, when Clint went to climb up, Thor pulled him onto the saddle in front of him, Clint’s ass flush against Thor’s groin, his back pressed tightly to Thor’s chest. He grabbed for the pommel, swallowing hard as he felt Thor reaction to the position.

The ride back to the palace was leisurely, Thor stopping once by a street vendor to buy a couple of meat pies, feeding one to Clint as they rode before eating his own. For the rest of the day, Thor was unusually affectionate. Clint went with it, trying not to show his confusion.

That night, Thor pulled him close. “You are troubled,” he murmured, stroking a hand down Clint’s back. “About what?”

Clint shrugged. “Nothing important,” he muttered.

“If it bothers you, it’s important. Tell me.”

Clint wrestled with himself, debating how honest he should be. He could lie, but he didn’t think Thor would believe him. He could try to put if off, but he also didn’t think that would work. That only left the truth, and his only hope is that Thor wouldn’t be angry.

“I’m never going home, am I?” he asked quietly.

Thor’s hand on his back stilled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’m here forever.” His voice wavered. He wanted to keep up a brave front, but the words began to spill out of him. “I’m never gonna see my home again, let alone Earth. I’m never gonna see the circus again, or Barney, or anyone.” And to his complete embarrassment, Clint started to cry.

“Hush, little one,” Thor murmured, pulling him even closer and cuddling him. “Don’t cry.” Thor continued to soothe him, like Clint was a fucking baby, but he didn’t have it in him to reject the affection.

“Do you want to return to your world?” Thor asked softly.

Clint shrugged, feeling confused and exhausted. “I don’t know,” he said plaintively, and he felt horrible all over again when he realised how true that was. What did that say about him, that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go home to his brother or stay on an alien world as a slave?

“What did you leave behind?” Thor asked.

“My brother.”

“Ah,” Thor said sadly. “That must be difficult for you. You miss him?”

Opening his mouth to say yes, Clint stopped. He...he hadn’t thought of Barney much over the months that he’d been here. And now he struggled to think of what he missed about his brother. The last few years, Barney hadn’t been much of a brother. Ever since they’d joined the circus, they’d been growing further and further apart. Clint had to wonder if Barney even missed him, or if he was glad that he no longer had a pain in the ass little brother getting in his way.

Realizing he’d been silent for too long, Clint said, “He’s not perfect, but he’s my brother.”

“I see,” Thor said, in a tone that said that he did. “And was your life there good?”

“It was okay….”

Thor signed and kissed Clint’s temple. “I know that must be hard for you, but it will get easier in time.”

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Clint said, defeated, turning his face away into the crook of Thor’s neck. “You’re not going to let me go. What I want doesn’t matter. I’m just a slave,” he finished bitterly.

“No!” Thor rolled them slightly, so that Clint was on his back and he was leaning over him, propped up on one arm. “You are no slave, nor a thrall. You are not something to be used. You are a pet, a treasured companion, to be loved and cherished.” Thor sighed, looking sad. “I regret that you had no way to expect this. Most pets know all of their lives what they are to be, and they are trained and prepared for it.”

Gently, Thor stroked a finger down Clint’s face. “I can admit that I do not want to let you go, that I have grown inordinately fond of you. I want to care for you, teach you, protect you.” He paused. “Love you. And I hope that you will want that in return.”

“But you won’t let me leave.”

Thor looked sad. “Even if I wanted to, I could not. You were a gift, a gesture of goodwill and to return you or get rid of you would not be wise.” He bent to kiss Clint again. “Is life here truly so terrible that you would give it up? That you would leave me?”

“No,” Clint admitted reluctantly.

“I will try to make things as easy for you as I can,” Thor promised fervently. “Whatever you desire, ask, and I will do my best to get it for you. And in time...in time, when it would no longer give offense, I will see you returned to your word, if you wish it.”

Clint looked up at Thor, wide-eyed. “Do you really mean that?”

“I give you my word,” Thor promised fervently.

“Thank you,” Clint whispered, throat feeling thick and eyes burning, too close to tears again.

“You are welcome.” Thor lowered himself back down and tucked Clint against him. “Sleep now, my little hawk. Trouble yourself no more tonight. Things will look better in the morning.”

Thor fussed over him for a few minutes, arranging blankets and pillows. The last time Clint could remember anyone caring that much about him was his mother, before his father had worn her down. He tried to push that memory and all others away. He didn’t want to remember right now. He just wanted to sleep, to forget all the confusing turns his life had taken.

Maybe in the morning it would make more sense.


	7. Chapter 7

A little more than a week later, Thor received word that he had someone asking for him when he was out in one of the gardens with Clint. Leaving Clint under the watchful eye of a nearby guard, Thor made his way through the palace to one of the common rooms. When he saw who was waiting, he grinned broadly. The jeweler was a most anticipated and welcome sight.

“Your Highness,” the man said, bowing at the waist. He turned and lifted a small box from a side table. “Your commission,” he said, holding it out.

Thor quickly took the box and opened it, breath catching at the sight of the collar resting on velvet inside. Oh, it would look glorious on Clint. Carefully, he inspected it, from the large oval amethyst the size of an egg directly in the center, to the gems that continued to the back, gradually decreasing in size as they moved away from the center gem. There were small diamonds set between the amethysts, adding a nice counterpoint. The collar itself was thick, every surface polished whisper smooth, and the edges were all curved so that nothing would bite into or chafe Clint’s skin. The ring for the accompanying leash was heavy and secure. It would look quite lovely hanging below the center stone and resting in the hollow of Clint’s throat. The lock was practically seamless and well-hidden, and resting just below it was another, smaller ring, should choose to affix the leash there. He nodded in approval at the addition. Clint would probably enjoy being allowed to walk ahead and not constantly trail Thor.

The collar was everything Thor could have asked for and he couldn’t wait to see it on him.

Satisfied, he set the collar back in the box. “Most excellent work, master craftsman. It is exactly what I had hoped for.” The jeweler beamed. “See the seneschal and he will see you paid. Tell him I am most pleased with the work.” The seneschal already had his instructions to pay the man’s fee, plus a bonus depending on Thor’s satisfaction. The man had done his job well, and would be well compensated for it.

Carrying the box, Thor took it to his rooms and set it on the desk. He would give it to Clint tonight before they retired for the evening.

Clint looked curious when he came back out, but Thor said nothing and Clint didn’t ask. His pet was coming so far and learning so much. So far, Thor had kept his exposure fairly limited to his friends and family, not counting the guards and servants. While he longed to show his pet off, he knew that Clint wasn’t ready. But from the way things had been progressing lately, he thought the time might be coming when Clint could be at his side everywhere. He was still a tad skittish around strangers, but he was getting better. Perhaps he could have his mother speak to him, to help allay any lingering fears he might have. He might even ask his parents’ permission to have Sjofn spend some time with him. As the oldest pet in the royal family, she was the most suited for offering Clint advice.

Later that evening, after they’d dined and bathed, Thor sat Clint on the edge of the bed and retrieved the box. Clint’s eyes widened and his breath hitched, but he didn’t say anything. Sitting next to him, Thor opened the box and held it out to show Clint.

Clint’s face went slack with shock. “Holy shit!” he blurted. “That had to cost a fortune! I heard you talking about it, but I didn’t think this was what you meant.” He snapped his gaze up to look at Thor. “Why would you spend that much money on me?”

He looked so honestly bewildered that Thor wasn’t sure how to respond. “Why would I not?” he finally asked.

“I’m not really worth it,” Clint muttered.

“I am the one who decides that,” Thor said firmly. Too often his pet had voiced such sentiments and Thor was growing increasingly displeased with them. He wasn’t angry at Clint, never that, but he had a growing dislike of those who had made him believe such. Wanting to refocus Clint’s thoughts, Thor had to put the collar aside and pull him into his lap.

Clint went easily, not fighting or resisting, though he watched Thor warily. “When you wear this,” Thor told him, gesturing to the collar, “ they will know how important you are to me, and that you are worth whatever I choose to give you.”

He paused for a moment. “I know that you desire a freedom I cannot give you, but wearing this will allow me to give you more freedom. All who see it will know that you belong to me.”

“It means I can’t run away,” Clint said quietly.

“Yes,” Thor agreed. “But there’s no where for you to run. Furthermore, it will protect you. Anyone who tries to harm you will know that they will face my wrath.”

“Wrath?” Clint asked.

“If anyone puts a hand on you to harm you, I will see them pay most dearly for it,” Thor vowed. “You are mine, and I will not suffer any harm to what is mine.” He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to the side of Clint’s neck where the collar would rest. “May I put it on you?”

Hesitantly, Clint lifted his chin so Thor could wrap the collar around his throat. It went on easily, locking at the back of his neck with an almost inaudible click. Clint shivered at the sound. Watching him carefully, Thor ran his finger along the top edge where silver met skin. “Does it cause you any discomfort?” he asked with concern.

Clint rolled his neck, turning his head from side to side. “No,” he finally said. “It’s...I can feel it, but it doesn’t hurt at all.”

“Good.” Thor sighed with relief. “If it does, you must tell me immediately so we can have it adjusted. I won’t have you suffering because of it.”

“Okay.” One of Clint’s hands rose, fluttering in front of the collar without actually touching it. “Can I see it?”

“Of course.” Thinking for a moment, Thor picking up the leash and clipped it to the attachment on the collar. Clint should see the full effect when he saw himself for the first time. He led Clint over to the large mirror on one wall and placed Clint in front of it, standing back so he wouldn’t be a distraction.

Clint leaned forward, his hands coming up again, and this time he did touch the collar. Fingertips skimming over every inch of the surface, he looked at himself with wonder, turning back and forth to see every angle. “It looks...it looks good,” he said quietly.

Stepping up behind him, Thor laid a hand along one side of the collar. “It is beautiful, as are you. And it is more beautiful because it’s on you.”

Clint shuddered. “You keep saying stuff like that,” he muttered.

“And I will continue.”

“Why?”

“Because it is the truth.” Thor brought his other hand up to the other side of Clint’s neck. “I can’t truly know what your life was like before you came here, but it is a tragedy if no one told you how rare and wonderful you are. If you were not treasured the way your deserved to be. I do not intend to make those mistakes.”

Fidgeting, Clint looked away. “Do you mean that?” he asked quietly. “If I wasn’t...if I didn’t belong to you, if you couldn’t fuck me whenever you wanted, would you still want me?”

Thor frowned. “I do not want you because you belong to me, or because you are convenient. I am the prince of Asgard. Do you think I could not find others to share my bed if that was what I desired? No, I desire you because you are lovely.” He thought for a moment, running his hands down Clint’s body to clutch possessively around his hips, pulling his pet’s smaller body back against his own so he could feel the proof of Thor’s desire. “Do you not like it when I touch you? When we bring pleasure to each other?”

Clint went red, but he nodded jerkily. Thor hadn’t even touched Clint’s cock, but it started to fill, which only caused his pet to blush harder. “Come, my little hawk,” Thor said, steering Clint away from the mirror and toward the bed. “I will convince you.”

Easing onto the bed, Thor pulled Clint up with him, arranging him over his lap after he’d settled against the headboard. Thor knew that Clint had never before been taken by a man, had likely never had anything inside him, so he went slowly. Clint watched with wide eyes as Thor slicked his fingers, and obeyed willingly when Thor instructed him to lean forward and brace his hands on Thor’s shoulders, though his eyes were wide with trepidation. With his face so close, Thor could watch every expression and emotion play across Clint’s face as he slowly and carefully worked him open.

At first, Clint bit his lip, tense and trying to be quiet, but when Thor found that spot inside of him, he cried out, bucking in Thor’s hold. “What…”

“I had wondered if humans were the same,” Thor chuckled. “Relax. This is about pleasure.”

It took a long time for Clint to completely relax. Thor didn’t want to hurt him, and he knew that Clint needed to be well stretched to enjoy himself, so he took his time. Whenever Clint’s erection started to flag, Thor would seek out that spot again, letting Clint get close before going back to working him open. When Clint began to grind back on Thor’s hand, clenching slightly around his fingers, Thor knew it was time.

A little more of the oily mixture slicked up his own cock, and then he carefully grasped Clint’s hips. “Stay relaxed, he rumbled, fighting his own urge to just bury himself in Clint. Slowly, he raised Clint up and then lowered him, the head of his cock nudging at the slight resistance of Clint’s body before slipping inside. Clint gasped, going rigid. Thor leaned up to kiss him. “Relax,” he said. “It won’t hurt unless you make it.”

Clint whined, but did his best. As Thor felt the tension drain from him, he lowered him, letting Clint’s own weight do most of the work, until he was nestled snugly in Thor’s lap, Thor’s cock entirely sheathed inside him.

“Oh god,” Clint gasped. “I don’t think I can move.”

“You don’t have to,” Thor assured him, kissing him again. “I will do it for you. Just enjoy yourself.”

Thor was perhaps a tad too rough as fucked Clint’s body up and down on his cock, but it was something he had been looking forward to for a long time. He couldn’t help himself, not with the bite of Clint’s fingers as he held on, his sharp little gasps each time the spot inside him was touched. There would be time enough in the future to teach Clint how to move, but for now he was more than happy to simply take what he wanted. Watching him unravel was exquisite, and by the time he began pleading—that it was too much, that is was not enough—Thor had to make a decision. Not wanting to overwhelm his pet, he decided to come first. So he focused just on his own pleasure, on how good Clint felt around him and in his arms

Clint started in surprise when Thor came, clenching around him instinctively. He watched Thor with wide eyes, tongue darting out to lick his lips as Thor held him tighter and rocked beneath him. And when Thor had begun to relax, Clint leaned forward and kissed him. It was a little tentative, and Thor was caught by surprise. Clint had instigated some touching without being prompted, but never a kiss. He forced himself to be still, to let Clint take his time becoming more sure in the kiss, and when he felt the flutter of Clint’s tongue, opened his mouth to let Clint explore.

When Clint pulled back, his eyes were even bigger, the pupils blown wide, and his cheeks were pink. “Perfect,” Thor murmured, tracing one finger over his lower lip. He glanced down and saw that Clint was still hard and straining, his cock glistening with pre-come. “Ah, poor thing! Let me help you with that.”

He reached for a bit more slick and then wrapped his hand around Clint’s cock. He stroked gently, guessing that Clint was probably sensitive from being hard for so long, and focused on rubbing his thumb over the top of the naked head.

“Oh god,” Clint panted. “Oh shit. Please. Please! I can’t-!” He practically writhed in Thor’s lap, trying to push up into Thor’s hand while Thor kept him firmly in place with his other. “Please!” he begged. “Please, Thor, please!”

Unable to deny his beautiful little hawk anything, Thor tightened his grip just a little, tugged a bit faster, and then Clint was wailing as he came. He shook in Thor’s arms, and then sagged, like a puppet with its strings cut. Thor lowered him gently until he was resting against his chest, breathing hard, and ran a hand through the his sweat-damp hair.

As Clint caught his breath, Thor lowered his hand until it rested on Clint’s neck, possessively held over the back of his collar. He had spoken the truth to Clint before, that if Clint truly wanted freedom, he would give it to him. But in the meantime, he intended to make sure that his pet never wanted to leave.


	8. Chapter 8

Feeling possessive, Thor kept Clint confined to his rooms for several days, not wanting to share the sight of his pet in his new collar with anyone else. Of course, he had to leave to attend to certain duties, though he chafed at being away from his lovely little mortal each time.

Still, some of the things Clint had said were troubling. It was clear that he didn’t understand how valuable he was, that he was something precious not be treasured, not a toy to be used and discarded. With the idea to ask his mother have Sjofn speak to him, he sought out Frigga, finding her in her favorite garden, Lofn curled at her feet, holding a skein of wool that Frigga was using in her small loom.

“Thor,” Frigga said with a smile, tilting her head up so he could brush a kiss across her cheek. “What brings you here this morning?”

“Mother,” Thor greeted her, sitting down beside her. “I came to ask a favor.”

“Oh?”

“It’s about Clint.”

“Ah. One moment.” Frigga finished a line of weaving and then sat back, turning to toward Thor so that she could give him her full attention. “He is well, I hope?”

“Well enough, I believe.”

A frown flickered across Frigga’s features before vanishing. “That does not sound like all is as it should be.”

Thor sighed, shoulders sagging as he hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees. “He struggles with his place. He has spoken more than once of returning to Midgard. But there’s nothing for him there!” he burst out, throwing his hands up angrily. “He told me what his life was like, how those around him treated him! He will have a better life here, where he will be cared for and treasured. I don’t want him longing to return to a place that break the spirit he has.”

Frigga laid a hand on Thor’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “I understand, my son. None of us should like to see that happen to him. He seems to be a sweet thing.”

“He is,” Thor agreed readily. “And he cannot see it for himself. It’s as if he doesn’t believe himself worth any small kindness.”

“Then is it good fortune that Malekith chose him, is it not?” She gave him another small squeeze. “You must give him time, Thor. He is still quite young for his kind, and he has not been here long. Midgard has not had contact with the rest of the realms in so long, there is no living memory of it among their people. Your pet doesn’t know just how lucky he is. Be patient with him. He will come to understand in time.”

Thor nodded reluctantly. His mother was the voice of wisdom and he knew she was right. He merely had to see the growth Clint had already shown to know that things would continue to improve. Still, it nagged at him. He did not want Clint to spend any more time doubting himself and his place than he already had.

Looking back up at his mother, he said, “I would ask a favor you.”

“Of course, if it is within my power to give.”

“It is. I would like Sjofn to speak to Clint, to answer any questions he might have, reassure any lingering doubts that trouble him.”

Frigga nodded slowly, one of her hands falling to rest of Lofn’s head, her fingers sliding through the dark, glossy strands. “That might be a good idea. I shall speak to her. Bring Clint to one of the private gardens tomorrow morning, and I will have her meet him there.”

Sighing again, this time in relief, Thor hugged his mother. “Thank you.

~*~

After putting the collar on Clint, Thor kept him in his rooms for a few days, taking some time to enjoy him alone and teaching Clint all about the wonders of actual sex. By the time he decided to let Clint out, Clint was more than eager to go, even if it did mean that people stared at and examined his collar.

After breakfast, Thor led him outside. Clint wondered just how many gardens the palace actually had. They were all magnificent, but Clint never saw any gardeners or groundskeepers. Maybe the plants in Asgard just knew how to behave.

This particular garden was currently empty. Thor led Clint to a bench and Clint sat without being instructed. Thor smiled, unclipping his leash. “Remain here,” he said, curling the leash up and hanging it from his belt. “I have something to attend to, but I will return shortly.”

Clint watched him go and wondering if “remaining here” meant that he had to stay on the bench or if it just meant he wasn’t supposed to leave the garden. He looked around, deciding to wait. If Thor didn’t return fairly soon, then he’d take his chances and look around.

He hadn’t been waiting long when someone else entered the garden. Like almost everyone here, she was tall and blonde and gorgeous. Clint also recognized her. He usually saw her with Thor’s parents, and the gem-encrusted gold collar on her neck was an obvious sign that she was like him.

She smiled when she saw him, crossing over to sit next to him on the bench. “Good morning, Clint,” she said softly.

“Uh, hi…” He didn’t know her name, so he just kind of trailed off.

“My name is Sjofn,” she said, smiling.

“Sjofn…” He tried the name out. “Hi.”

“Thor asked that I speak with you, answer any questions you might have.”

Glancing down toward her collar, Clint asked, “Because you’re like me?”

“Yes,” she said simply. “I have been with their majesties for a very long time.”

Clint frowned. “I don’t know if I have any questions, really. It’s just…” He looked away, not wanting to see her pale, kind eyes as he struggled for words. “This is really weird.”

“As I understand it,” Sjofn said carefully, “Midgard does not have a tradition like this.”

“Slavery?” He turned back to her. “Yeah, it used to be a pretty big thing.”

Sjofn shook her head. “No, not slavery. Is there no distinction on Midgard?”

Clint looked at her helplessly.

Frowning slightly, Sjofn thought for a moment. “As I understand it, a slave is completely bound to their master. They have no rights, and while a kind master might treat them well, a cruel master could do whatever they wished, even taking their life. To be a slave is to reduce someone to almost nothing. It is an indignity.”

“And this isn’t?” he asked incredulously. “We’re wearing _collars_.”

“It is the symbol of our rank,” she corrected. “Pets are not slaves. They are sometimes status symbols, but most often they are companions. Either way, a pet _must_ be cared for. To hurt or harm a pet is a grievous crime.”

“But I can’t leave!” Clint burst out. “No matter how nice Thor treats me, I’m trapped here!”

Sjofn’s expression softened in sympathy and she sighed. “While I understand why Malekith chose a pet from Midgard—such a gift is most rare and precious—it was deeply unfair to you. Throughout the rest of the realms, pets know their purpose and have many years to learn what is expected of them. It is an honor they compete, so desired is such a position. No one wants an unhappy pet; it is a sign that something is deeply wrong.”

“So...we’re supposed to be happy?”

She smiled. “Happiness is our purpose. To give happiness to our owners and let our own happiness magnify theirs.”

Clint considered her position. “And you’re happy with Thor’s parents?”

Her smile widened and deepened into something wicked. “Their majesties are most skilled lovers. I greatly enjoy my duties with them. I would assume that you also enjoy attending to Prince Thor’s needs?”

Feeling his face flush and spread down his neck, Clint looked away. “I...that’s...I mean…”

She laughed gently. “Peace. I mean you no discomfort.”

Clint had to wait a few minutes before he could speak again. “Is everyone like that? What about that other lady I see, the one that doesn’t talk? And Loki’s guard?”

Sjofn nodded. “Most of us are like that, yes. You ask about Lofn and Fenrir. Lofn was a gift to Queen Frigga, her talents and skills for her use alone. ONly her beauty is shared with others, with only her beauty shown to all. Though the queen could keep that to herself, she chooses not to. Everything else about Lofn is just for her. She has a beautiful voice, both in speech and song, though I have heard it but a few times. As for Fenrir…”

She paused, head tilted. “Fenrir is an example who is kept solely for a single purpose—to defend Prince Loki. He is deadly, and as loyal to Prince Loki as a hound is to his master.”

“Oh.” He looked down at his lap, fingers plucking at the hem of his tunic. He was grateful that Thor had finally allowed him pants when leaving his rooms. Wearing just the tunic had left him feeling naked and vulnerable. Even though he’d had to ask, he was still glad Thor had let him.

He frowned and turned toward Sjofn. “You said our purpose is to be happy. Does that mean we can ask for things if it makes us happy?”

“Oh, sweet thing.” She smiled, one hand coming up to cup his cheek. “Has Prince Thor not told you? You may ask for anything you desire and he would move the heavens to get it for you, if it’s possible.” Her fingers drifted down to flutter over his collar. “Does this tell you nothing? This is but a pittance, something he and everyone else consider no more than your due. You could ask for so much more and he would grant it to you happily. If he is a good master, and I believe Prince Thor is, then keeping you happy and content will always be a desire he holds close to his heart.”

“Oh.” Did that really change things? If he told Thor that he wanted a bow, that he wanted to be able to go out beyond the palace to practice and explore, would Thor let him? That he didn’t just want it, he _needed_ it? Sjofn seemed to think so, that not only would Thor let him, but that he would be happy to do so, do whatever he needed to to give it to Clint.

“Do things make more sense now?”

He looked up at Sjofn. “Maybe? It’s still weird.”

She nodded. “That is understandable. You are still so young, yet. Give it time. You will find your place and be happy here, I am sure of it.”

“I-I’ll try.” It didn’t seem all that unreasonable that she was right. He couldn’t even honestly say that he was unhappy.

“That is all that can be asked of you.” She rose, smoothing her skirts. “Just try to be happy and happiness will come. You’ll see.”

She glided away, graceful and serene in a way Clint would never be, leaving him to his thoughts. Clint struggled to get himself in order. Following her advice would mean giving up any hope of going home. He already knew it was a long shot; Thor had said as much. Clint knew how to adapt, to make the best of any situation. He’d done it over and over before and knew he could do it again. If he took this chance, he’d be set for life.

He touched his collar. Set for life, but in a cage. Granted, the most luxurious cage he’d ever seen, but still…

Thor entered the corner, eyes immediately seeking Clint out. He smiled broadly when he saw him, steps quickening. Clint felt something tighten in his chest, sharp and painful. He had never had anyone be that happy to see him, to be with him. If he let himself, he could have it forever.

Without thinking about it, he stood, letting Thor gather him close. _Fuck it_ , he thought fiercely. No one else had ever cared half to much as Thor did. He didn’t care if he was a pet and status symbol. Only a fool would continue to try and deny this to spite themselves.

And Clint was no fool.


End file.
